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pudd_gw

All the symptoms I've experienced!!!!!

pudd
16 years ago

Well Ladies,

Where do I begin to tell you of all the symptoms I've experienced during the menopause??!! (By the way, what's the difference between perimenopause and menopause? Is peri the period leading up to menopause?) It's been an eye opener, I must say, reading everyone's comments on this site, that so many of the symptoms are down to the menopause and not just me.

I'm 54 and about 18 months-2 years ago I noticed a very definite mood change. I felt very "low" - now realise this was actually depression. Then anxiety/panic followed. Also, insomnia (not like me at all, never had any problems sleeping), also needing to pee loads during the night. Hot flushes (though, thankfully, no sweats/night sweats!). My periods had stopped by now. Then just began to feel "strange" - hard to explain really, also feelings that I was not in the real world, was sort of outside it, looking in at the rest of the world. Then (this is great isn't it?) began to feel very physically ill, also mentally ill, like I was going mad, strange thoughts, extreme tiredness, internal shaking! Doc ran tests (I was convinced by this time that I must have luekaemia or something I felt so bad!). Tests came back, thyroid okay, also nothing else wrong. WHAT??!! That can't be right! But, yes, sorry, you are just in the "change"!

I am now trying hrt (decided to run the risks, preferring if so be it to live a shorter, happier life than possibly a longer miserable one!) and anti-depressants. I think I am beginning to feel a little better, at least I sleep well now due to the sedative effect of the anti-depressants at night, but each day can still be a struggle. Doc asked was there anything else he could do for me, I said "not unless you can turn me into a man!"

Not at all keen on being on my own at home, like to be out in company and occupied, but at the same time pretty scared to take on too much/new job. I do relief care work, but can get panicky at work too.

Well, I think that's just about listed everything that's gone wrong with me during this lovely(!) time of life. Anyone else had any (or all??) of these symptoms. Boy, I pity you if you have!!!!

Pudd

Comments (34)

  • pudd
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    Thanks for your reply Mrs H (I am also Mrs H!). I guess maybe in time I will "get used" to these symptoms too. I do expect it to go on for some years, from what I've heard from others. Good for you to get through it without drugs, I also think "self pampering" at this time doesn't go amiss, we should spoil ourselves as we ARE suffering. I now take every opportunity to go out day and evening when invited by friends, the housework, etc can wait. Life is too short and heck, with all this horrible menopause business going on, why shouldn't I?
    Hope you're still feeling OK. Don't quite know what you mean by your altered state of mind - do you mean it's now altered for the better with time, or just that you've got used to the "altered" state?
    Pudd

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    Hello everyone, I too have been experiencing all of the above and have spent countless hours and days worrying and scouring the internet for answers. I was overjoyed to stumble upon you all here and learn that I am not alone or losing my mind. A little info about me.... I am a 45 year old woman who started peri & menopause early!! I started at age 38/39 and had no clue what on earth was going on with me. The usual menopausal symptoms were downright awful but like the rest of you, I suffered through the whole time thinking “ok new symptom, dying again of some mysterious illness or I seriously need my head checked.” Fast forward.... I had my last menstrual cycle right after my 44th birthday (so over a year now) and I have to say the menopausal symptoms have lessened overall thankfully. Then SUDDENLY, about 2 months ago, just when I thought the worst was behind me, my body introduces to me, a new scary “oh no I’m dying again” symptom. THE ARMPIT ACHE!! I had just finished my routine physical, pap, mammogram, breast ultrasound, had bloodwork and urine tests done as well.... all came back normal. I was so relieved!!! However, my armpit ache started right after that, within a few days, which threw me for a loop. I thought ok maybe I strained a muscle working out?? Maybe I’m feeling after effects from the Mammogram “trauma”??? No clue and of course, panic starts to set in!! Over the course of 2 weeks, the ache in my armpit (right side for me) became an ache in the right shoulder, ache in my right breast and some days the ache even extended all the way down my right arm. It really is terrifying and consuming when you don’t know what’s going on or why and the Doctors can’t find anything either. So I started experimenting with different things to hopefully find a remedy or at least some peace of mind. Fast forward again..... long story short.... I accidentally stumbled upon a video on YouTube regarding Magnesium deficiency and it’s symptoms and I thought hmmmm, could it be my issue?? So I started taking Magnesium supplements and within 24 hours, my armpit ache started to disappear!! I have been taking the Magnesium faithfully every day for a few weeks now and I can say the ache is 95% gone and most days I don’t even remember having it at all. I don’t know if it’s merely a coincidence or if the magnesium really helped but I felt compelled to share my findings with you all in the hopes that it may help you as well. Side note, I had just started taking other supplements approx 2 weeks before the aching started so I thought perhaps they too may have been the culprit so I stopped taking them completely. (Calcium, Vitamin D, Vitamin C). 1 week later, I started Magnesium which I had never taken before!! Just to clarify. Together, we will get through this. Anita
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  • hunter_tx
    16 years ago

    "I also think "self pampering" at this time doesn't go amiss, we should spoil ourselves as we ARE suffering. I now take every opportunity to go out day and evening when invited by friends, the housework, etc can wait. Life is too short and heck, with all this horrible menopause business going on, why shouldn't I?
    Hope you're still feeling OK. Don't quite know what you mean by your altered state of mind - do you mean it's now altered for the better with time, or just that you've got used to the "altered" state?"

    Oh don't get me wrong. I don't pamper myself. That's not what I meant by self-indulgence. I have spent years trying to understand all this, and some of it has been pure hell, imo. I suppose I have adapted somewhat to what I consider my "altered state", and that has now become normal for me. The nice thing is that I don't just tolerate it. I like the journey of self-discovery it has provided an opportunity for. It's probably too complicated to explain, and it takes lots of digging to find any insight whatsoever. The simplest way I can explain it is that I feel like I have spent years wandering in the desert, and finally found an oasis. For the first time in my life, I love being me, imperfections and all.
    Mrs H

  • pudd
    Original Author
    16 years ago

    Thanks for that reply Mrs H! On taking my daughter to the station this morning to go back to university (oh, I do miss my kids, but great news, she got the job round here for when she finishes uni, for which interview she came home!), I said to her that I think this is something I am just going to have to learn to live with and accept for the time being. Interesting what you say, because at the moment I feel like I live in my own little world away from everyone else. Feel very weird. Maybe this is my journey of self discovery. Don't know if I'll even remember what it's like to feel "normal" again? Maybe one day I'll find my little "oasis"!! Pudd

  • beauty2009
    14 years ago

    hi pudd i to have reached a stage in my life im 46 where i feel confused with the confused feelings im having i to hate to be alone for long periods of time although i do have days where i just dont want to do a thing im scared to death of hrt so havent gone down that road yet my doctor wanted me to have anti depressants another doc wanted me on hrt its a minefield isnt it , i get horrible palpatations ,disrupted thaughts increased sense of smell dizzy spells hot flashes nausea joint pains ,the list is endless i thank god when i have a good day these days its a horrible unsettling scary time the panic attacks are the worst and waking up every hour of the night wet through and wheezing i can cope with most of this but the palps are the worst i take calcium and magnesium when i get them and that seems to be helping but it does disrupt the bowels but id rather that than palps does anyone else have all this or am i alone

  • hun49
    14 years ago

    hello to all,
    I have been looking for an up to date forum that discusses the stranger symptoms of menopause and I'm so glad I've found you. I will try to keep this brief. I am 49 and have had all of the symptoms described here (and more!) for a few years now. I can go back as far as 7 years ago when I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia. However the symptoms disappeared a few months later so I think it was a misdiagnosis. At the time I was also tested for hypothyroid and after seeing a private specialist and spending quite a bit of money I was told I was "fit as a flea". I have times when I feel fine for maybe 2 or 3 months then all sorts of different things start happening. I started having bad hot flashes about 10 months ago and my GP suggested HRT. I took it until about six weeks ago but had a really bad migraine (I thought I was having a stroke- really scary). I came off immediately but found out my blood pressure and cholesterol were sky high even though my diet and lifestyle hadn't changed. I feel as though I am going mad sometimes and the stress of the past few weeks has caused me to lose weight(this is the only good thing to come out of this as I had put on at least 20lbs in the past two years). I have lots of other symptoms but I don't want to bore everyone with an endless list. However, if there is anyone out there who knows exactly how I feel I would love to know. I'm sorry this is so long but I need to know I'm not alone.

  • beauty2009
    14 years ago

    Hi hun49 your not alone at all i have been struggling with many emotional and physical symptoms since sept 08 i had a full hysterectomy at 30 and im 46 now i have 1 ovary and its really hard to try to work out a pattern because i dont have a period (obviously), its at times like this i wish i did cos then i might be able to work out a pattern of when the problems which are significant are gonna come but i cannot so ive been to the doctor and trust me here in england the perimenopause doesnt exist (YEH RIGHT), ok lets try some anti depressants no ta, ok lets try HRT, no ta, so what am i left with a bunch of problems and myself going slowly insane.
    I use this site to reassure myself i am not dying from some awful as yet undiscovered illness disease etc ,i to have gained tons of midriff weight i cannot shift no matter how much i diet excersize ,i take magnesium n calcium vitamim b complex, vit c, and evening primrose oil n vit e every day it helps well it stops the palpatations anyway for now but i worry im having too much magnesium thing is ive had ecg blood pressure normal fit as a flea also and i do have days when i feel fine but they are few an far i have crashing fatigue i cannot be bothered with anything or anybody ,i would love to feel like me again but i dont hold my breath anymore so keep battling on like me and its good to talk i really feel it helps good luck ok

  • beauty2009
    14 years ago

    Hi everybody i really wish this forum was more up to date i really rely on this forum for chat and advice or just knowing someone else out there feels as lost as me with this whole peri menopause thing in my lfe i live in england and its no where near understood here like it seems to be in the states you guys are far more advanced than us i come on here everyday hoping for a new post to look at and someone to chat to if anybody out there wants to chat my e mail is shellywilliams159@msn.com

  • hun49
    14 years ago

    To beauty 2009,
    Thanks for replying to my post. I wasn't sure if this forum was up to date either and like you, since I found it I feel a lot better. I live in England too and every doctor I've seen over the years looks at me like I've got an eye in the middle of my forehead! It has been really frustrating but I would be happy to chat anytime and we can both get this off our chests! Take care .

  • beauty2009
    14 years ago

    Hi hun 49 thanks for your reply i was begining to think no came on here anymore and your in england how cool is that!I KNOW HOW U FEEL honestly i feel like im going crazy sometimes like i said ive started trying to help myself now cos the doctors are prehistoric and sooo out of touch with this whole menopause thing,i wasnr prepared for it at all it came out of no where my doctor agrees im in perimenopause and her answer to my pysical problems is hrt which is not an option for me at all that to me is like putting on a bandaid cos once u come off it you still gotta go through it so whats the point ,i am deterimed to get through this without chemicals ,ive been so bad at times with panic attacks ,hot fushes,anxiety about my health my state of mind , i have days when i feel sick all day,hot hot hot all day and night if i have a drink of wine its even worse im dizzy for 2 days its just not worth it anymore i feel better now im filling in a chart which i got off the internet it lists all possible symptoms it has a daily chart which you can fill in everyday on a scale of 1-5 so now i get a picture of when to expect certain symptoms to occur it really helps me i got it from www.earlymenopause.com also im finding the vitamin b complex is helping been on that almost a month now and to be honest the magnesium and calcium daily helps a lot take care speak soon again ok

  • beauty2009
    14 years ago

    Hi hun49 how ru ? im on a few good days just recently apart from fatigue i found something interesting on this forum the other day someone said chia seeds by a company called mila helped to eliminate the hot flushes so i went to the health food shop in the town and they havent heard of them must be an american thing i intend to keep trying though dont no if u have heard of this remedy i did a bit of research on the chia seeds and they are organic rich in omega 3 and apparently they do eliminate the flushes just cant find where to get them from might be worth a try tho hope your okay anyway take care shelly

  • hun49
    14 years ago

    hello beauty 2009,
    I'm good at the moment. Like you I have had some really good days in the past 2 weeks. I have recently changed my diet drastically and I have started eating more tofu and soya products, I have cut down on wheat and more or less living off porridge oats, fish, vegetables and fruit. I also started taking 2 teaspoons of flax seed oil everyday. I have been taking it for about 6 weeks now and guess what, some of my symptoms have gone. I don't know if you know about flax seed but if not look it up on the web. If it is a placebo effect on me then so be it, but I have far fewer symptoms of tingling in my hands and the crawling skin feeling. I think it has something do with increasing the amount of omega 3 in my diet. I saw a post on another forum recently. The female said she had decided to help herself, and more or less accept the menopause as something she would have to put up with for a while. She did go into it further but for her she was going to try mind over matter. After reading everything she said I decided I would try that approach and I have to admit I have felt better within myself. I still have bad days but, thankfully, my feelings of doom have subsided. Hope your good days continue and I hope some of the things I've done can help you too. Susan

  • gwreader
    14 years ago

    Hello,

    I am actually a concerned daugher. My mom (50) seems to be going through the beginning of menopause which is apparently called peri? In any case, she is always tired these days and has trouble getting up because of lack of energy. She previously has issues with her bowel but that seems to have subsided for now. Hun49: you recently took on a new diet. How's the tofu working out and what else do you suggest? She doesn't want to eat anything but knows she has to. Most foods are bland and I have noticed that in some of the posts as well. Let me know! I, too, am glad to hear this thread of comments has started up again.

    Thanks.

  • hun49
    14 years ago

    hi gwreader,
    I'm sorry your mum is feeling as bad as she does, but it's good to know someone is looking out for her. I still get the tiredness but not as bad as a few years ago when it took all of my time to get out of bed and just live my life. There was no easy answer to recovery I'm afraid. I just had to force myself to do things. Your mum sounds like she may be having those awful feelings of dread as well. I would really recommend the flax seed oil. Like I said in my previous post, some of the symptoms have gone since I started taking it. (I still get the flushes though.) I haven't eaten meat for about 15 years and I have always eaten soya as an alternative to it. However, it can be quite bland unless used in a stir fry or marinated. I have always eaten fish, but I am now eating it at least 5 times a week.(not kidding...i may grown gills soon !) If your mum likes wine then I would say to cut it down drastically. I have gone from drinking wine everyday, to about half a (small) glass 2 or 3 times a week.
    I snack on fruit and nuts, and cut back on dairy which is a big deal for me cos i love cheese.. ...(goes with the wine obviously!) I take 2 teaspoons of flax seed oil everyday (it does come in capsules too), a selenium supplement which also contains magnesium, zinc and B12 and I drink a glass of apple juice with a spoonful of spirulina in everyday. Look up both flax and spirulina on the web and find out how good they are. Like lots of others on this forum we really do have to take matters into our own hands and just try things to see what works for you. I hope some of these things can help your mum and I would suggest she comes here too cos I can assure her, just reading about others in the same boat really does make you feel a whole lot better. I thought i was going mad before coming on here. Hope I've been of some help.

  • gwreader
    14 years ago

    Thanks for the reply hun49. In an odd way... it's good to know she's tired but will one day get over it. It really takes up a lot of her energy just to get up and has very little appetite for anything. I'll look into your food suggestions and hopefully she will like it. What other symptoms occurred after the extreme tiredness? Even talking can be quite a challenge and she keeps her voice quite low which sounds like something you went through years ago. I will let her know about these sites when she gets better. Right now, all she wants to do is sleep or sit around because of the exhaustion. Thanks for you input! I glad to hear you are feeling better. Hopefully my mom will feel better soon too!

  • hun49
    14 years ago

    Hi gwreader,
    I just wondered if your mum has had her thyroid checked? Has her GP ruled out ME (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome)? I had really bad shoulder and neck pain and dizziness. A couple of times I was so bad I felt as though my neck wouldn't support my head. I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia but my symptoms disappeared a few months down the line so I think they were wrong about that too! At the same time a couple of different doctors told me I was depressed..oh yeah!. It sounds never ending I know, but she really needs to make demands on her doctor for all the tests she possibly can.
    Both of you take care.

  • beauty2009
    14 years ago

    HI hun49 nice to hear from you again how refreshing to actually get response good on you for trying a new diet regime unfortunatly i cannot do anything that much with mine because i am allergic to seafood although i have started to include more fresh vegatables in mine and definatly need to cut down on the wine rose and red is definatly the worse for me but i do enjoy a few glasses of white wine some days but if i drink too much i end up with bad palpatations for 2 days solid so its looking like im gonna have to cut down drastically with the wine,i have just started a job at a local pub im a chef so thats getting me out of the house a bit and making me feel a bit more positive and appreciated but i must say after a 6 hour shift i was shattered lol anyway im on a fatigued week at mo hope your feeling ok at mo and am glad your flaxseed oil is helping i read on here that chia seed is good for stopping the flushes iv tried to get it here but cant seem to find any i might go to manchester and try the herbal shop there can you get the flaxseed oil in tablet form whats you using that for exactly anyway take care shelly

  • beauty2009
    14 years ago

    Hi gwreader how lovely of you to try to help your mum it sounds to me like she is in perimenopause which is what comes before the menopause except the symptoms are more obvious in peri firstly crashing fatigue is very common in peri and it comes out of nowhere one minute your ok next your feeling like your body has been took over by an alien try your mum with some panax ginseng it relly helps with those days when i cannot get my butt out of bed or off the settee just glued to the tv in between naps i also have vitamin b complex and magnesium n calcium tablets which have helped me loads hope she feels a bit better soon get her to come on here and she will be able to feel she is not alone ok good luck

  • hun49
    14 years ago

    Hi beauty2009,
    just wanted to let you know that flax seed oil is available in capsule form. I take it because it helps reduce blood pressure and cholesterol which I had problems with because of the HRT. I have had both checked in the past week and thankfully both are back to normal. My doctor won't admit it was the hrt which caused the problem.He said it was obviously just a "blip".....oh yeah!! Anyway I've had a really stressful couple of days and guess what...I've had tingling in my hands and muscle pain in my leg today. I badly need a holiday. I've got a week off work in 3 weeks time and I can't bloody wait! Apart from this I'm ok lol. Thanks for the catch up and take care.

  • beauty2009
    14 years ago

    Hi hun49
    I dont have any problems with blood pressure am not on hrt so i dont think ill need the flaxseed oil i to have had a few stressful days since sunday 2 days ago i started with a bad pain in my right leg for last 2 days started off like a stabbing pain then it went to a dull ache all day yesterday i was convinced i had a blood clot in my leg i was anxious all day which really wears me out it was really bothering me today it seems to have eased off quite a bit i get a lot of tingling in my feet ,you sound like you could do with a break can you not get a cheap holiday away in the sun for a week? i am going to turkey next month and am hoping that i will enjoy the week better than i did in may we went to gran canaria and i was a wreck all week palpatations panic attacks fatigue i feel ive got myself under control a lot more lately i know muscle and joint pain is meant to be common with perimenopause and menopause dont quite know why so dont worry too much maybe get a massage or a good muscle rub try some cod liver oil ,anyway take care chick

  • beauty2009
    14 years ago

    Hey hun49
    hows u today hope ur leg is not aching as much as it was i was wondering whereabouts in GB u r im near manchester r u on facebook? if so i will look u up i have an e mail if u fancy a chat or msn anyway hope ur feeling better than u did take care ok

  • hun49
    14 years ago

    Hi beauty 2009,
    I'm in North Yorkshire, not too far from Manchester. I'm also on facebook I'll try and find you on there. My tingling hand and my leg muscle pain has disappeared today...how weird is that? You really never know what delights each day will bring do ya..lol. By the way, the flax seed helps stop palpitations as well. Anyway look out for me on facebook. Susan (Hanning)

  • beauty2009
    14 years ago

    Hi hun49 nice to see your reply yet again !glad to know that your tingling hand and legpain have gone today ,isnt that strange i had a pain in my right leg for 2 days then as if by magic it was gone on the 3rd day how weird is this menopause thing my partner thinks im crazy he seems to think that ill be playing with the fairies at the bottom of my garden next lol,
    im not on facebook myself but my son christopher hogg is i just use his facebook sometimes but i am going to have alook for you ok im going to get some flaxseed capsules from rochdale next time i go cos i do get bad bad palpatations all the time if i dont take the magnesium n calcium for 1 day they come back with a vengence dont know why its so weird last month i was having chronic flushes up to now this month not a 1 how can this be im filling in a chart now every day and by this time last month i was flush flush flush on a score of 1 - 10 i rated them 9-10 same time of month now 0-0 crazy any way glad your feeling better chick take care shelly

  • beauty2009
    14 years ago

    Hi hun49 i spoke 2 soon they are back with a vengence last 2 nights ive been waking up constantly feeling so hot and drenched in sweat lol there doesnt seem to be a pattern to all this im so tired today i feel like i could go back to bed ive had a niggly pain in my chest all night as well and then by lunch time today its discapeared i upped my primrose oil cos that seems to help with the breast pain i get and bingo its gone how strange anyway hope your ok

  • hun49
    14 years ago

    hey beauty 2009,
    These pesky symptoms just keep on keeping on dont they? I've been waking up hot as well but fortunately I don't seem to be quite as bad as you get. I also woke up yesterday feeling and looking about 20 years older. Even my husband thought I looked knackered lol. I don't know if you ever get little episodes of feeling a bit "spacey". They're difficult to describe except I feel a bit light headed and as if theres a buzz in my head...its weird. I had one of those today in Boots. I thought if I fall over at least they've got medication here,lol. It passed fairly quickly but its strange. I also had that adrenalin rush feeling last night and several seconds of palpitations just as I got into bed. Why do you think that happens when you're trying to relax? I'm not a religious person but I have to admit there are times I'm on the verge of praying for all this to stop lol. Heres to another day without any horrible symptoms. Take care girl.

  • beauty2009
    14 years ago

    Hi hun49 yes they do dont they some days i get up and feel great till about lunch time them bam total fatigue grips me and i could literally just go to bed and sleep i feel 90 sometimes i wake up sometimes with a buzz in my head ive had that for about 2 years now off and on it seems to be worse when ive had a few drinks ,yeh i do feel quite spacey sometimes and a bit dizzy ,i dont seem to get as much of the weird adrenalin rushes lately but i think that linked to the palpatations i was getting i think maybe its cos your resting you notice them more but i get mad bad thumping palps sometimes its like my heart is flip flopping unless i take magnesium n calcium i get that everyday its something to do with the electrodes in top n bottom of your heart interference from the estrogen deficency i think thats what causes it anyway its always worse when iv had alcohol lol im not religious but i have got some life insurance sorted this year cos i got so freaked out with all the horrible symptoms i was having ive had my heart checked out ecg nowt wrong with it apparently i was convinced i had heart disease apparently not but palps are common with peri anyway take care have a good day

  • hun49
    14 years ago

    hi beauty2009,
    Just aquick reply to your last post....it made me laugh cos I'm about to do the same as you with the life insurance lol!!! (Does my husband still get the money if I shoot myself in the head when I can no longer bear these bloody symptoms!!)

  • beauty2009
    14 years ago

    Hi hun49 i dont think he does hun lol oh the irony of it all ha ha you gonna have to run the full course lol keep well ok how long you bin struggling so far ? almost a year for me

  • hun49
    14 years ago

    Oh beauty 2009, you don't want to know how long this has been going on do you? In 2002 I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia but I don't think it was that at all because the symptoms disappeared for months. I have read lots of posts on here and I had lots of symptoms that have been described as perimenopause. However as we both know doctors in this country don't believe it exists. Oddly, I actually felt really well during 2004/5/6 with only occasional pains and tiredness. But 2 years ago the hot flushes started and got steadily worse. Then the more bizarre things like the tingling hands and the skin crawling, the palpitations and the feeling of wanting to cry for no reason. You know when its written down like this its bloody depressing lol. I'm not sure how I've got through this. I actually read a post on one of the other forums from a female in her 60s still having symptoms! What a thought. well thats probably enough to depress you too lol. Keep well, S.

  • beauty2009
    14 years ago

    Hi hun49 2 years feels like a life time doesnt it when you got all this strange stuff going on ive read some pretty disturbing things on here as well but iv read some positive ones as well ive bin at it now since sept last year so almost a year not as long as you but mine must be fairly mild really because iv managed to control some of it now without drugs i think im finding it easier because i understand it better now and i accept that the symptoms are not life threatening they are just part of my everyday life at least the panic attacks are gone now and when weird stuff starts i understand whats causing it my whole life is circled around hormones now but hey it could be a lot worse at least i dont have a serious illness eh ! take care s x

  • SlipstreamQueen
    9 years ago

    I'm 54 and have had quite severe menopausal symptoms since I had a partial hysterectomy (due to a fibroid the size of a grapefruit) at age 48. Since then, there were a few times I thought I was going to die from weird symptoms. This year my chronic headaches have evolved into a number of episodes with severe migraines. For years I've not been able to get a full night's sleep without a mild tranquilizer. The good news is that I have the support of a naturopathic doctor in addition to my family physician. I've been exercising regularly which has helped my arthritis symptoms immensely. My tolerance to caffeine is currently nil, so I opt for herbal tea. I suffer from anxiety and depression and I'm learning to turn my ANTS into CATS (automatic negative thinking into constructive automatic thinking) ...it takes time to re-train the brain. Guided meditation is also helpful - there's lots available on the Net. I do not respond well to any type of stress (coping with daily life is a challenge) but I refuse to take hormone replacement therapy. Instead I opt for herbal supplements such as ashwagandha, rhodiola and 5-HTP. Hot flushes are the least of my issues, but I admit waking up with a full-body sweat in the middle of the night is no fun at all. In addition to all this nonsense, I have food sensitivities and therefore, avoid highly processed foods. Also, I'm on a high protein diet and have vitamin B-12 injections once per week. Evidently, hope exists.

  • zzackey
    9 years ago

    I am almost 57 and I quit my period at age 50. The last year or so has been pure hell. I'm either angry or depressed all the time. I googled it and anger is sign of menopause. I always used to be so mellow. I read ti was due to hormone imbalance. I'm afraid to take hormones because I had an estrogen problem a few year ago. I had fibroids twice and two D&C's in one year. The first doctor had no clue what was going on.Thankfully the second doctor put me on estrogen for a few months. I gained 20 pounds from the hormone and then I gained 30 more pounds on my own. I hate being fat, but I can't get it off. I have fibromyalgia, vertigo and sleep apnea and memory loss dure a concussion 10 years ago. I feel like I've gone crazy,. I have hot flashes alot. Mostly at night. I'm ready to jump ship, but I have no where to land.

  • Checkin53
    9 years ago

    High blood pressure, painful hands/fingers, severe itching, severe leg pain, insomnia, weight gain... I, too, had 2 D&C's this year. It's been crazy. I have gone to the doctor for some of the symptoms but they look at you like your nuts so I'm dealing with it on my own. I refuse to take HRT or any other drugs. It's nice to know I'm not the only one...

  • kaya47
    9 years ago

    wow just read through this , I am in England Lincolnshire, and like you other ladies have said our doctors look at you like your crazy when you suggest menopause, I went through it by myself i asked for test after test to see if i was in peri but they didn't do any blood tests at all, i ended up ordering a test off the internet where you wee on a stick and it tells you if your menopausal its just like a pregnancy test , mine was positive straight away , that was 5 years ago nearly , i had the crushing fatigue and still ache all over , my head is out of it most days, i get the buzzy feeling on top of my head and nearly always feel like im light headed. I do get good days when i feel almost normal. I don't often sleep all night and i am out nearly every hour for a wee lol, i too have read many things on here that menopause can last for years , i do hope not i just want to be normal again if that's possible .

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